Marine Biologist for a Day

April 13, 2023

Written by Guest Author

This guest blog was written by Sandra, a mother who homeschools her daughter and wants to provide her with practical experience exploring various career paths in marine biology. She accompanied her daughter and another homeschooler on a visit to the Alligator Head Foundation to give these interested young students firsthand experience in marine biology. Their visit coincided with the J.A.M.I.N. program so they joined us in learning about the mangrove ecosystem.

Through Alligator Head Foundation (AHF), my daughter is now able to explore her dream of becoming a marine biologist in a fun and engaging way.

When we arrived at AHF, Denise Henry, a marine biologist and the Research Programme Manager, made sure to give my daughter and her friend, both homeschoolers, a warm welcome. She was excited to chat with us about the academic requirements for marine biology and mentioned other fascinating career paths it can lead to, such as journalism, law, and photography. We were lucky enough to take a tour of the wet labs where AHF are growing corals for restoration. At the same time, we got the scoop on some of the projects they’re currently working on. It was very enlightening.

*Denise Henry educating teachers in our Mangrove DEALs workshop about mangroves and corals in the AHF nursery.*

One project that we learned about was Jamaica Awareness of Mangroves in Nature’s (J.A.M.I.N.), a mangrove education and restoration program, that AHF is partnering with the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation (KSLOF) to implement with schools in Portland Parish. It just so happened that the program was being implemented the same day that we visited AHF and we were asked to join.

We were totally blown away by the lecture series on mangroves. The series was led by the extraordinary Amy Heemsoth, the KSLOF Education Director. Amy’s enthusiasm and captivating personality made the series an absolute delight. She grabbed our attention by opening the “What lives in the mangroves” lecture with an exciting explanation and example of a mnemonic phrase and how it can help with remembering the classification system.

*Students listen to a lecture about the mangrove food web and learn how these organisms are classified.*

Following the lecture, we were included in a touch tank activity where students got to engage with some of the animals and plants that live in or near the mangroves. The girls were thrilled to learn about the different species that inhabit the local wetlands, as well as their unique characteristics and overlapping attributes. During the lab portion, they were able to see and touch the organisms up close.

*Students in the J.A.M.I.N. program get up close and personal with animals and plants that live in and near the mangroves.*

My daughter enjoyed the food web activity at the end of the program. She was assigned an animal to represent and was tasked with connecting it to what it consumes, and what consumes it, using yarn. She thought it was interesting to see how all the animals were connected and how an imbalance in one area effects the entire ecosystem. She felt it was a great way to learn about the importance of each organism in the wetlands and how they are all connected in a thriving ecosystem.

*Students create a physical mangrove food web to help them to reinforce ideas that they learned during the lecture.*

We can’t wait to have more amazing adventures with AHF. We invite all students, homeschoolers, parents, and educators to experience this excellent “edutainment” firsthand and see what Alligator Head Foundation has to offer.

From Dialogue to Action: Ocean Foundations Gather in Stockholm

What can philanthropy accomplish when foundations working across ocean science, conservation, and sustainable development come together around a shared purpose?

That question was at the heart of the 6th UN Ocean Decade Foundations Dialogue, held September 7–9 in Stockholm, Sweden. The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation joined philanthropic organizations from around the world for three days of discussion, collaboration, and planning focused on accelerating progress during the second half of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.

Facilitated by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), the UN Ocean Decade Foundations Dialogue is a growing network of more than 30 philanthropic organizations committed to advancing ocean science, collaboration, and action. Since its creation within the framework of the Ocean Decade, the Dialogue has provided foundations with a space to exchange ideas, develop partnerships, and explore how philanthropy can help advance a healthy and resilient ocean.

Hosted by the Voice of the Ocean Foundation (VOTO), this year’s gathering began with From Depth to Action, an Opening Forum that brought nearly 100 leaders from the Swedish and international ocean community together at…

Meet IFAN: Helping Bring Navigate with Care to the Next Generation

If you’ve ever seen a lighthouse flashing from the shore or a brightly colored buoy bobbing in the water, you’ve seen Aids to Navigation at work.

Aids to Navigation, often called AtoNs, help mariners navigate safely. They can mark channels, warn of hazards, help vessels determine their position, and provide other information people need to make safe decisions on the water. Around the world, these systems help guide everything from small recreational boats to large commercial or container ships.

But safe navigation isn’t only about protecting vessels and the people aboard them. The choices mariners make can also affect the animals and ecosystems beneath and around them.

That connection between maritime safety and ocean conservation is at the heart of this year’s Science Without Borders® Challenge—and of our partnership with this year’s theme sponsor, the International Foundation for Aids to Navigation (IFAN).

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